Circuit-controller switch and casing therefor.



\/l G. APPLE.

CRCUT CONTROLLER SWITCH AND CASING THEHEFOR.

APPLCATIOQ HLD MAY' "x9, i914.

1167.,O88. Jau. 4, m16.

@MA/5%;- M m@ V. G, APPLE, @maw commis :su/NCH ,uw @Asme THEREFGR.MPLCATIN I'ILED MAY IS, E914. 1,167,038, yPatented Jan. 4, 1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

(ID TP l f *im @gid emph @49 I G APPLE; mecum' CONTROLLER swlTcH AND@Asma mmm.

l APPLICATION YILED MAY 1.9, 19M, 116e7038 Paten'ed Jan. 4, i916.

- 3 SHEETSNSHEET 3.

therefor.

:More particularly my invention relates to a controller switch to beused on automo' UNITED sTATEs PATENT CEEICE.

viNcEN'r e. APPLE, or DAYTON,l oHIo, AssIGNoE To THE APPLE ELECTRICCOMPANY,

' or DAYTON, oHIo, A CORPORATION or omo.

CIRCUIT-CONTROLLER SWITCH AND CASING THEREFOR.

To aZZ whom t may concern.' Be it vknown that I, VINCENT G. APPLE, a

in Circuit-Controller the following is a specification. .This inventionrelates to improvements in circuit controller switches and casings bilesfor operating the circuit connections of an'engine starting systemtogether with a 'switch for operating the automobile lights. l One ofthe objects of my invention is to `provide a switch of the generalcharacter i abovereferred to especially adapted to be used in connectionwith a single unit generator motor, and storage battery for starting aninternal combustion engine and for subsequently arranging the circuitsso that the dynamo will .be properly connected to charge the batterieswhen the engine becomes self propelling.

Another object of my invention is to provide a simple, sturdy and ruggedcasing for supporting and inclosing the switches and other apparatus.

' Further objects are to provide such a casing a part of which isreadily separable to lpermit removal of the switch` parts for inspectionor repair, andlocking means'to prevent unauthorized tampering with theapparatus and operation of the switches.

Other and further objects will appear, from the following specificationand drawings wherein:

Figure l is a front elevation .of my improved controller with the hoodremoveds Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view on the line 2 2 of Fig.1.. Fig. 3 is a plan View of my controller. Fig. 4 is a fragmentarysectional view on the line 4 4 of Fig. 1. Fig.

'5 is a side elevation of my controller with arts broken awa Fig. 6 is afragmentarv D 2D .l

(horizontal sectional View on line 6 6 of Fig. 1. Fig. 7 is afragmentary vertical sectional view on the line 7 7 of Fig. l. Fig. 8 isa perspective view of a part of the controller locking mechanism. Fig. 9is a perspective View of the lighting switch operating knob andcontroller key, and; Fig/10 il I Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 4, 1916.

Application filed May 19, 1914. Serial No. 839,579.

a fragmentary horizontal sectional view on line 10 10 of Fig. 4.l

In the drawings, the numeral indicates a vertically arranged base boardor Wall having rearwardly extending side lips 21 and a forwardlyextending shelf or bottom wall 22 at its lower end. This base partcomprising the rear and bottom walls of the controller inclosing casingis formed of a hard, strong insulating material such as bakelite or thelike and is adapted to be secured to a suitable support by screws orbolts taking through the holes 23. It has been found that bakelite isbest adapted for this particular purpose as it is suiiiciently strong tocarry the various parts of the Controller and is readily molded orformed in its proper shape.

The upper wall of the casing comprises an aluminum casting 24 secured tothe base through the medium of the vertically ar ranged screws 25 takingthrough the horizontal bar 26 which in turn is secured to the rear ofthe base board 20 by the screws 27.

The general arrangement of the controller blades, the lighting circuitcommutator, its brushes, etc. is similar to that Villustrated anddescribed in my Patent No. 1,070,657 issued" August 19th, 1913 andentitled con- 'troller switch. In the present instance as in baseportions ofthe brushes, 34, whereby a single screw as 37 taking through.the base of' each brush into the boardserves to hold the brushessecurely in place and at the same time serve as abinding post forelectrical connections atthe rear of the board.

The lower end of the lighting circuit commutator is boredjout as at 38to receive a stub lshaft 39 whichv projects upwardly through an opening'40 in the lower wall 22 of the casing and is secured in place byengagement or' the slotted plate 41 with the annular groove 42 near thelower end of the shaft. @ne end of the slotted plate 4l carries anupwardly projecting cylinder 43 which incloses a spring 44 which pressedforward a ball 45 v which engages in turn with a series oli grooves 46arranged around. the periphery ot' a wheel 47 rigidly secured to thelower end oi' the commutator B. These grooves 46 are arranged so thatthe commutator positively snaps from one position to another therebyinsuring its always stopping in a proper position. YVings 48 extendoutwardly from the cylinder 43 and are provided with holes through whichtake the screws 49 engaging with the base or bottom wall 22 or thecasing.

lt is evident from the above description that the lower end of thecontroller body as a whole mav be removed laterally from the casing whenthe upper end is disconnected. By removing the screws 49, the slottedplate 4l is slid ont of engagement with the annular groove 42 permittingthe stub shaft 38 to be dropped down out of the way releasinnthecommutator B and permitting its lateral movement. rThe lower end of thestub shaft 38 is drilled and tapped asat 50 so that aV screw may beconnected therewith to aid in assembling and dismounting the controller.

The upper end of the post A is Slotted to engage with the downwardlyextendlng rib 5l on the lower end of the hollow cylinder This cylinderhas a tubular, upwardly extending part of reduced diameter 53 whichextends through an opening in the top wall 24 of the casing. A.tangential groove or slot is provided in the tubular extension 53 toengage with a tapered pin, 55 which extends through the hub 56 of a winglshaped handle 57. Oscillation of thawing shaped handle 57 results inthe oscillation of the switch carrying spindle A thereby placing theswitch blades either in the running or the starting position. An annularflange 58 extends downward from-the top wall 24 ot' the casing and ishushed as at 59 to provide a bearing for the cylinder 52.

One side of the cylinder 52 is cut away as at 60 and provided with adepression 61 which is engaged by the plunger 62 slidin within thecylinder 63 and .pressed forwar under the influence of the spring 64adjustableJ through the medium of the screw 65. The engagement ot thespring pressed plunger 62 normally holds the controller handle in aneutral or off position. noted from the sectional view shown in Fig. 6that when the controller handle is oscillated to the starting position,the spring pressed plunger 62 will ride up on the acute angle 66 so thatwhen the handle is released lt will be the tendency of the springpressed plunger is to return the controller handle to neutral position.4On the other hand the angle 67 is considerably less so that when thehandle is oscillated into the running position the plunger does notcause the handle to return to neutral position. The cylinder 63 isinclosed within a downwardly extending projection 68 formed as a part ofthe top wall casting, extending radially from the annular llange 58.

The lighting switch is `operated through the medium of a removable knob69 carrying an elongated key spindle 70 the lower end of which isflattened out as at 71 to engage with the slot 33 on the upper end ofthe commutator spindle 32. The shank 70 is of ay diameter somewhat lessthan the bore of the tubular projection 53 of the controller cylinderand when the shank 70 isinserted lin the bore of the controlleroperating mechanism it extends downward into engagement with the slot33, thereby providing a handle through which the coinmutator tor thelighting circuit may be rotated into any desired position. Removal ofthe knob 69 obviously prevents operation of the lighting controllercommutator.

In order that the removal of -the lighting circuit operating knob 69 maynot only lock the lighting circuit in any desired position, but likewiselock the controller handle in' neutral position. thereby preventingunauthorized starting of the car, I have provided an interlockingmechanism whereby the 10@ lighting circuit. the starting motor circuit,and the removablehood otn the casing inclosing the switches and theirkindred partsmay all be locked imposition by the removal i of the knob69. Conversely the insertion of 105 the spindle 70 within the axialopening in the controller handle 'disables the locking mechanism andpermits the operationof the lighting circuit controller, the startingmotor controller as well as unlocking the catch 110 which secures theremovable hood of the casing in position.

A radial hole 72 is drilled in the head 52 through to its centraldpening. A similar hole 73 of the same diameter as the hole 72 115 isdrilled radially in the flange 58 so as to register exactly with theopening 72 when the controller is in the neutral or oft position.Slidably positioned within these two alining openings are two shortstubby 12o shafts 74 and 75 rounded oil' at their cona tacting ends andflattened as at 76 and 77 at their opposite ends.` The attened end 76 ofthe inner section 74 engages with the vertical slot 78 of the tubularpart 79 which sur- 125 rounds the lighting circuit controlling shaft'32, is carried by the spindle A, and extends upward within the tubularopening in the cylindrical head 52. p

A bell crank 80 pivoted at 81 upon the 13:3

lower face of the top wall 24 is shaped so that its shorter end 82engages with the flattened out end 77 of the stub shaft 75. Its oppositeend is hooked as at 83 to engage, when pressed outwardly by the spring85, wit-h the pivotal latch 811 carried by the removable front wall 86of the* casing and operated by the rotation of a. small handle or thumbnut 87. IWhen the longer end 83 of the bell crank 80 is pressedoutwardly by the spring 85 the latch is locked from rotation and itsengagement with the latch plate 8st carried by the upper wall 24prevents removal of the front wall 86 of the casing'l Outward movementof the longer end 83 of the bell crank under the pressure of spring 85vresults in an inward movement of the shorter end 82, pressing againstthe two alining stub shafts 74 and 75.

The length of the two stub shafts 74. and 75 is such that when the twoare pressed inwardly by` the short end 82 ofthe bell crank the Vjunctureor connecting point of the two shafts is within the inner wall of theannular ange and the outer of the two shafts 75 serves as a loch betweenthe parts 52 and 58 preventing rotation or os cillation of thecontroller switches. A pin 88 projecting radially from the cylindrical.head 52, engages the arcuate slot 89 in the flange 58 limits theoscillation of the controller spindle A between the starting positionand the running7 position.

The key spindle 7 0 intermediate its ends is provided with an annulargroove 90, of sufficient depth when in engagement with the flattened end76 of the stub shaft 74, so that the outer end of shaft 7 4 is in linewith the joint between the cylindrical head 52 and the inner wall of thebushing 59. Willen Vin this position it is obvious that the controllerspindle A is free to rotate to start- `ing or running position, andsince the stub shaft 75 is forced outwardly against the action of\thespring 85 the hook 83 upon the longer end of the bell crank 8O is movedinwardly, releasing the latch 84 so that the hood for the casing isreadily removed. The latch 8e cooperating with the iinger 91 on thelower end of the hood which engages with the opening 92 in the lowerwall of the .ting the dynamo into circuit with the storlage batteries atthe time when the electromotive force, equals or exceeds,v that of thebatteries. The second electro -rnagnet D serves, as a means fordecreasing the electromotive force, at a given spoed of the dynamo, whenthe storage batteries have een partially or completely charged, therebyautomatically decreasing the current supplied to the batteries when theyno longer require the full current that can be produced by the dynamo.

The armature 93 of the relay C is connected through the medium of aspring Vvfinger 94, with an indicating device 95 carried by the topwallof the casing. This indicating device responds to movement ofthearmature 93, displaying the letters O F F when the dynamo is not incircuit with the batteries anl displaying the characters O N when thedynamo is in circuit. The face of the indicating device is positionedupon the top wall of the casing for ready inspection and is removablefrom the base of the casing together with the wall 24. As indicated inFig. 2 the spring linger 94 engages with a downwardly extending lip 95,on the indicating device so that it is readily disengageablc for theremoval of the top wall.

The two fuses 9G and 97 are carried' by the three pillars 98, 99,l00,.eXtending forward from the base 20. The connections for the variousinstrumentalities carried by the front wall extend rearwardlytherethrough as indicated in the broken away part of Fig. 5 and theconnections made between the various terminals at the rear face of thewall are protected by the sheet of insulating liber 101. The variousbinding posts as 102 extend through this sheet of fiber andthe nuts 103serve to connect the lead wires at the rear face of the controller.XVhen the lighting switch and key 69 is in position the lock between thecontroller spindie A and annular flange 58 is disabled so that thecontroller may be rocked into starting position and then moved intorunning position. Obviously the rotation of the key 69 operates thelighting circuit commutator B and the casing cover lock operated by thebell crank is released.

` The removal of the key G9 when the controller is in neutral positionpermits the inward movement of the two stub shafts 74 and 75 under theaction of the spring 85 securely locking the controller in neutralposition and obviously preventing the operation of the lighting circuitcontroller B. At the same time the lock 83 engages with the casing lock84 and prevents removal of. the casing cover. Since the annular groove90 in spindle 70 of the lighting switch key 69 engages with theflattened end 76 of the stub shaft 7 4, it is obvious that the lightingkey cannot be removed unless the controller spindle A is in neutral orolf position.

ll'ifhereas I have described and illustrated a particular embodiment ofmy invention, it is evident that various changes may be made in thestructural details and general arrangement without departing from thespirit and scope thereofU IBL Having,I described my invention, what .l

claim is:

l. A controller, comprising a base part; a removable hood, there'lior;a. switch, therein; a second switch; a removable operating handle,therefor; means, for locking the first mentioned switch and hood; andmeans, operated by said removable handle for disabling,` said lockingmeans.

2, A controller, comprising' a base part; a removable hood, therefor; aswitch, therein; a secondl switch; a removable handle, there for; means,for locking the iirst mentioned switch to prevent its movement; andmeans, operated by the attachment of said removable handle for disabling.said lockingmeans. v

3. A controller, comprising,` a base part.; switch, carried by said basepart; a second switch a removable handle, therefor; means, for lockingthe first mentioned switch to prevent its movement; and means, operatedby the attachment of said removable handle to disable said lockingmeans.

4. lhe combinatimi with a base part; of a controller, carried thereby; asecond controller, concentric therewith; a spindle, for ope 'ating saidsecond controller positioned concentrically within the .'rst mentionedcontroller; a handle, for operating the first mentioned controller; aremovable handle, positioned concentrically within the first mentionedhandle for operating said second controller; means, when the irstmentioned controller is in oii position for locking` the same againstoscillation; and means, operated by said removable handle for dis,-ablinp; said locking means.

5. The combination with a` base part; of a menons removable hood,therefor; a controller drinn., carried thereby; a second. controllerdrinn, concentric therewith; a spindle, for operating said secondcontroller drum positioned eoncentrically within the lirst mentionedcontroller dran-; a handle, for operating the rst mentioned controllerdrinn; a removable handle, positioned concentrically wit-liin the lirstmentioned handle for operating said second controller drinn; means, forlocking the first mentioned controller drum against oscillation and saidhood from removal; and means, operated by said removn able handle fordisabling said locking means.

tl. ln a controller the combination of tivo switches, a removable handle'for one and a loclr for the other, and means actuated by the attachmentof said removable handle` for disabling said lock; f

7. In a controller the combination of two switches, a tubular operating`post for one and a post for the other positioned within the tubularpost, a stationary member sur rounding a portion ot the tubular post andhavinga radial opening adapted to register when bothswitches are in ottposition with radial openings in bot-h switch posts, a removable handle'for the inner post and locking means positioned within said radialopenings and arranged to be disabled by the removable handle.

ln testimony whereof l hereunto set my hand in the presence ot' twosubscribing witnesses.

VNCENT Gr. APPLE.

ln the presence of- E. V. MARTIN, ll. OCONNOR.

